Hong Kong political figures have urged the public to recognize what they described as the "double standards" and "hypocrisy" of some U.S. and Western politicians, following the sentencing in the Hong Kong Alliance (the Alliance) case involving allegations of inciting subversion. They said the acts attributed to the defendants went beyond the lawful exercise of freedom of expression and amounted to inciting others to subvert state power by illegal means and argued that punishment in accordance with the law was a just outcome.
Yiu Chi Shing, a standing member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), said some Western countries, anti-China organizations, politicians, and overseas media had launched what he called malicious attacks and smear campaigns aimed at interfering with the judiciary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in performing its duties. He said such moves would not undermine Hong Kong's resolve to safeguard national security, nor would they affect the city's stability and long-term development, adding that only solid national security can protect lasting prosperity and stability.
LegCo member Maggie Chan said the defendants had, in her view, acted for a long period in ways that were "anti-China" and disruptive to Hong Kong and continued even after the implementation of the Hong Kong National Security Law. She stressed that freedoms of speech and assembly are not absolute and said no one should be allowed to use "freedom" as a pretext to incite subversion or endanger national security. She criticized what she described as Western interference in Hong Kong's judicial processes under the banner of human rights.
LegCo member Ben Chan said the case facts and evidence were clear and that the conduct in question continued for months with broad reach. He argued the defendants had mobilization capacity and influence and said heavy sentences for acts aimed at undermining China's fundamental system and inciting subversion were, in his view, proportionate and necessary to uphold justice. He also accused some Western politicians and organizations of applying different standards, saying they maintain strict national security laws at home while offering support to people accused of destabilizing Hong Kong.
LegCo member Kingsley Wong said the trial process was open and transparent and that the court's verdict and sentencing were based strictly on law and evidence without interference. He warned of ongoing national security risks and called for vigilance, arguing that high-level security is needed to support high-quality development, and vice versa, to ensure the steady implementation of "one country, two systems."
LegCo member Tang Ka-piu said the High Court's sentencing had a detailed written judgment and fully protected the defendants' procedural rights. He also condemned external forces for labeling the court ruling as "political suppression," saying they were trying to meddle in China's internal affairs and Hong Kong affairs with coercive means.
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